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The Absolute Universe’s Superman is getting his first costume change, but what does it mean for the future of his world and the worlds beyond? The more lonesome Man of Steel is still trying to find his place in the world, and he’s close to falling in with the wrong crowd.
Darkseid died in last year’s DC All In Special, and the Omega energy within him spread throughout the cosmos, largely settling on Earth-Alpha. This created a new world shaped by Darkseid’s ideals, where heroes faced tougher challenges than usual. In Superman’s case, he’s got no connections and is wandering the world, finding somewhere to belong. But a new team is about to welcome him into their ranks, and it could pose a huge risk to the entire DC Universe.
Superman is Joining the Omega Men and Gets New Mask
Solicitations Show the Man of Steel with an Imposing New Look
In Rafa Sandoval and Jason Aaron’s Absolute Superman, the iconic hero isn’t Clark Kent, and still goes by his Kryptonian name, Kal-El. While the Prime DC Universe’s Man of Steel was rocketed to Earth as an infant, this variant escaped Krypton when he was a boy, then spent several years in deep space before finally landing on Earth. Unfortunately, this world was way more hostile to Superman, and he’s been targeted by the global corporation, Lazarus Corp, forcing the hero to go on the run.
Kal-El made his way all around the world, aiding the oppressed workers in various camps owned by Lazarus Corp. But Superman wasn’t the only one working against the multinational business, as it was targeted by the group of controversial freedom fighters, the Omega Men. The Omega Men and Lazarus both began looking for Superman, and managed to come across him during a confrontation in Pakistan. However, just as Lazarus field agent Lois Lane couldn’t bring Kal-El in, the Omega Men failed to bring Superman over to their side.
The Omega Men make their first appearance in Absolute Superman #4, on sale now!
However, if one glimpse into the future is any indication, things appear to be changing. Fans got a look at the cover of Absolute Superman #9 as part of DC Comics’ July batch of solicitations. The solicited information for the issue seems to indicate that Absolute Superman is finally becoming sympathetic to the Omega Men’s cause. The issue’s cover also hints at this, showing the Omega Men, standing armed and ready to fight, with Superman in the center, wearing a helmet that bears the team’s glowing Omega symbol.
Who Are the Omega Men, and What Do They Want with Superman?
Freedom Fighters or Hardcore Terrorists?
Absolute Superman makes it clear that in the Absolute Universe, Lazarus Corp is one of the most powerful and most exploitative businesses in the entire world. The megacorporation has outposts all across the world and when it comes in, it changes things for the worse, destroying the local ecosystems and putting the health and lives of local workers at risk. Lazarus has made a lot of enemies across the world, but the biggest ones on the company’s radar are the Omega Men.
The Omega Men refer to themselves as freedom fighters, but Lazarus Corp officials refer to them as terrorists (citing videos of them killing Lazarus soldiers). Two Omega Men ventured to Pakistan to track and kill Lois Lane, but the junior-ranked Omega Men member (this world’s Jimmy Olsen), believed Lois could be converted to their cause and attempted to reason with her. Unfortunately, Lois was in no mood to negotiate, and she attempted to kill Jimmy until she was stopped by his superior, Primus.
…Jimmy still believes Lois and Superman can bring positive change to the world.
Lois and Primus fought and the Omega Men soldier was quite formidable. Primus even hinted she was responsible for taking the legs of Lois’ father, General Sam Lane. The conflict between the two raged, even as Jimmy appealed for a more peaceful solution. But it wasn’t until Superman arrived that the battle ceased. Primus immediately tried to speak with Superman and get him to join their cause in taking down Lazarus Corp, but she was immediately rebuffed. Afterward, Primus castigated Jimmy for ruining their plan, but Jimmy still believes Lois and Superman can bring positive change to the world.
Are the Omega Men Working for Darkseid?
Could That Be Why They Really Want Superman?
While they’ve only been seen once so far, it’s safe to say that the Omega Men skew villainous (save for Jimmy, who is as kind as usual, but in over his head). But are they just fighters with extreme methods or do they have a darker purpose? Any DC fan worth their salt knows that the symbol the Omega Men bear is the same one associated with Darkseid. It would make a lot of sense that the Omega Men are trying to recruit Superman if they’re acting at the behest of a villain like Darkseid.
At best, the Omega Men are a team of criminals who are trying to manipulate Superman. At worst, they’re an extension of Darkseid…
Granted, Darkseid died just several months back, but part of the reason he created the Absolute Universe was to give him a safe space to re-form (which he eventually does, as shown in the DC All In Special). And honestly, what would be safer for Darkseid than a world where he doesn’t have to worry about Superman and the Kryptonian hero actively fights for him? While there’s no indication that the Omega Men serve Darkseid yet, it seems highly suspect that a team wearing Darkseid’s sigil wants Superman on their side so badly.
At best, the Omega Men are a team of criminals who are trying to manipulate Superman. At worst, they’re an extension of Darkseid, and they’re trying to weaponize Superman for Darkseid (either consciously or not). While the cover of Absolute Superman #9 could just be a red herring, it does show that the Omega Men are gaining ground at converting the Man of Steel. Whatever their intentions, they seem like bad news and Superman may want to be wary of what they have planned for him.
Absolute Superman #9 is available on July 2, 2025.
“}]] Superman’s new look has big implications. Read More